“TINY,” a documentary about the tiny house movement, will premiere on Al Jazeera America on Nov. 17. Colorado couple Christopher Smith and Merete Mueller, who are living large in a sustainable way, are the filmmakers. Their story is one of six they chronicle.

The intent is to document “the changing American dream,” in spite of the fact that, since 1970, the average size of new American homes has nearly doubled. For those who embrace the movement, quality of life is more important than square footage. Going green matters more than banging into the ceiling upon rising from bed.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.